Pre-Game Capsule: Coyotes at Blue Jackets

GAME 32:
Coyotes (7-19-5) at Blue Jackets (18-10-1)
Arizona will play its NHL-leading 20th road game of the season on Saturday night when they take on the Blue Jackets in Columbus.

WHERE: Nationwide Arena
WHEN: 5 p.m. (AZ time)
TV: FOX Sports Arizona Plus
RADIO:ESPN 620 AM
KEY FACTS:
Video: Matt & Tyson: 1st Period Key vs. CBJ
• Arizona is 12-12-1-2 at Columbus since the Blue Jackets entered the NHL in 2000-01, but just 1-4-2 in its past seven games at Nationwide Arena.
• Goalie Antti Raanta will make his first start since Nov. 22. Raanta suffered an upper-body injury in that game when he collided with San Jose's Logan Couture in the first period. Raanta has won his past three decisions and owns a 4-5-2 record with a 2.84 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage. In four games vs. Columbus, Raanta has notched a 3-1-0 record.
"We're not looking for a miracle from him, we're just looking for a solid game," Head Coach Rick Tocchet said.
• Oliver Ekman-Larsson will enter the game ranked third in the NHL in total ice time. Ekman-Larsson has skated 777:13 so far this season. Only Drew Doughty (806:25) and John Carlson (796:55) have skated more. When Ekman-Larsson scores his next goal, his 95th, he will move into a tie with Dave Ellett for second place on the franchise's list for goals by a defenseman. Teppo Numminen tops that list with 108 goals.
• Derek Stepan, who is averaging a point per game vs. Columbus over 18 career games, ranks seventh in the NHL with 324 face-off wins.
• Tobias Rieder has scored five of his 48 NHL goals (10. 4 percent) vs. Columbus over six games. He also produced three assists in those games.

• Kevin Connauton is expected to be back in the lineup after sitting out Thursday's game as a healthy scratch. Connauton played 81 games for Columbus from 2014-16 and scored 10 of his 16 NHL goals while playing for the Blue Jackets.
• This game is the first of back-to-back weekend games for the Coyotes, who will play at Chicago on Sunday. Arizona is 3-0-1 in the first game of back-to-back games this season.
• The Blue Jackets have won nine of their past 12 games, including a 5-3 victory at New Jersey on Friday. Artemi Panarin notched the primary assist for all five goals the Blue Jackets scored in that game, and leads Columbus with 25 points and 18 assists. Josh Anderson is the top goal scorer with 10. Zach Werenski leads all NHL defensemen with nine goals. Goalie Sergei Bobrovsky played Friday at New Jersey but will start Saturday's game, too. Columbus will enter the game with 37 points. Tampa Bay is the only Eastern Conference team with more (42).

COYOTE BITES:
•"We're obviously not very happy with what happened in Boston. That was not good enough, from everyone. We've got to be better as a team and we've got to work a lot harder. We got outworked. I think for us, we really have to be the harder working team, and I think if we do that we're going to be successful." -- Dylan Strome
•"I've been working for a couple weeks now on the ice and every day has been better. It's a slow process, but when you start feeling that you're seeing the pucks perfectly and you're moving good, you always start wanting to get into the game situations." -- Antti Raanta
• "A John Tortorella team always plays hard. They have a lot of depth and their defense corps is as good as any in the League. Obviously getting (Artemi) Panarin adds another element to their team. It's a good lineup. It's a big challenge. It's a tough building ... We have to get better as a wall team. When you're playing an aggressive team that's as good as they are, if you can be a good wall team and beat their pressure you might get some chances against them." -- Rick Tocchet on playing Blue Jackets